Signal-transmitting system



L. DEGEN.

SIGNAL TRANSMITTING SYSTEM. APPLICATI ON man MAY 2. 1918.

1,324,732. Patented Dec. 9,1919.

Z;zvanZor Law is pagan y fiav'iu M WM bisjiio rneys UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE:

LEWIS DEGEN, OF PASAD N CA IF RNI SIGNAL-TRANSMITTING SYSTEM.

Application filed May 2, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS DEGEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements inSignal-Transmitting Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a signaling system especially adapted forsending fire alarms; and pertains particularly to a signal system havingauxiliary boxes located remote from a sub-station for actuating thesub-station signal mechanism, and to means for sending a call to thecentral station in case of trouble in the auxiliary box circuits.

The'obje'cts of this invention are first, to provide novel means to tripthe sub-station box from the auxiliary box; and second, to provide meansto actuate a signaling mechanism upon trouble occurring in the auxiliary box circuit.

I accomplish these objects by means of the embodiment of my inventionillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sketch of the system. Fig. 2 is an enlargedside view of the tripping coil and no-current release.

A sub-station box, such as is ordinarily installed in the street, isindicated by 3. Auxiliary boxes, such as are usually installed inbuildings, are indicated by a, 5 and 6. Electrical circuits connect thesubstation and auxiliary boxes.

Referring more particularly to the substation box 3 a character wheel isindicated by 7. Suitable mechanism, such as a spring motor is containedwithin the box and serves to operate the character wheel. A controlwheel 8 has a recess therein for engagement by the lug of a trip lever9. The usual hand lever 9 for manually operating the box is shown insection. The particular mechanism of the transmitter forms no part ofthis invention, and, therefore, will not be further described. Lever 9is pivoted at 10 and extends outside of the shell. Mounted upon an arbor11 is a cam 12 so con structed that upon rotation of the cam it willengage the end of lever 9, and the lever will be turned to releasecontrol wheel 8. Secured to the cam is a pin 13, which is adapted to beengaged by the eno of catch lever 1a. Qatch lever 14 is pivoted at 15and has an arm with an armature 16 one end there f! A spring 1 is e ureo the rent wi l flo thro gh' h d e agnet Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

Serial No. 232,115.

cam 12 so that it tends to rotate the cam, and thereby trip the lever 9.Attached to an arm of catch 1% is a spring 18, which tends to hold theend of the catch in front of pin 13 so as to prevent rotation of thecam. Tripping coil 19 has a double pole electro-magnet disposeds-o as toact upon armature 16. Referring particularlf to Fig. 2, it will be notedthat the cores 20 and 21 are connected magnetically by a pivoted yoke22. These cores are beveled as best shown in Fig. 1 so that if the arm23 of the yoke drops downwardly away from the cores, the arm 24: willengage the bev eled portion, thereby completing the magnetic circuitthrough the yoke. Arm 23 is pulled into contact with the cores 20 and 21on energization of the electromagnet 19. The armature is overbalanced sothat arm 23 tends to drop away from the magnet cores. The structure ofthe magnet cores and armature is such that the reluctance of themagnetic circuit is less with arm 23 in contact with the cores than witharm 2% 1n contact therewitln Thus, when there is no magnetism or only avery small amount 1n the cores, the arm 23 will drop, and when themagnetism is increased the arm 23 is drawn to the cores and the armaturerestored.

The source of electrical energy for the system comprises a battery 25,which has a conductor 26 connected to a conductor 27, the latter beingconnected to one terminal of the electro-magnet 19. The positlveterminal of the battery has a conductor 28 connected thereto, the otherend thereof being connected to the terminal of a non-sensitive relay 29.The relay 29 has an armature 30 forming a contact to engage a c011- tact31. Armature 30 is connected to conductor 28 by means of conductor 32. Aspring 33 tends to hold armature 30 out of engagement with contact 31.Contact 31 is connected by conductor 34: to a conductor 35. Conductor 35leads to a contact 36. A spring contact finger 37 is arranged to engagewith contact 36. A conductor 38 connects contact 37 with the otherterminal of coil 19. Mounted upon cam 12 is an arm 39 which holds finger37 in engagement with contact 36, when the cam is in the position shownin Fig. 1.

It is evident that, when contact 30 of the non-sensitive relay engagescontact 31, ourcoils 19; and the resistances are so proportioned thatsufficient magnetism will be created in the electro-magnet 19 to pullthe armature 16 downwardly and thereby pull the catch 14 from the pin13. The spring 17 then turns the cam bringing the high portion againstthe end of the trip lever 9 actuating the latter and setting the signaltransmitter in operation. The movement of the cam causes the arm 39thereon to move so as to permit spring contact 37 to break contact withcontact 36, thereby open ing the circuit and preventing further cur-'rent from passing through the circuit.

This prevents exhaustion of the battery 25.

Conductor 40 connects conductor 32 and a contact 41. A pivoted armature42 forms the cotiperating contact for contact 41. Spring 43 tends tohold contact 42 out of engagement with contact 41. Contacts 41 and 42form the switch of a. sensitive relay 44. A conductor 45 connects 42 anda contact 46. Pivoted armature contact 47 is arranged to engage contact46, and has a spring 48 tending to hold contact 47 out of engagementwith contact 46. A sensitive relay 49 controls the operation of contact47. Conductor 50 connects contact 47 and the terminal of the coils of alocal alarm relay magnet indicated by 51, which controls a local alarm,here shown as a bell 51. Conductor 34 is extended to connect the otherterminal of electromagnet 51 to conductor 35. Normally, contacts 46 and47 are in engagement and contacts 41 and 42 are in engagement. There is,therefore, a shunt circuit around contacts 30 and 31 of the nonsensitiverelay.

In practice the tripping coil Will have a resistance of about 30 ohms,the non-sensitive relay a resistance of 20 ohms, and the local alarmrelay a resistance of 600 ohms. It is obvious that there is a current ofsmall magnitude flowing through the coil 19. This is a test current andis suflicient to hold the no-current release armature 22 in the position shown in Fig. 1. If there is a break in the circuit last described,which may be due to the opening of the circuit at either contacts 46 and47, or contacts 41 and 42, or a failure of the battery, or a break inwires 27 or 35 the no-current release armature will drop. Arm 23 willengage a spring contact 52 and move the same into engagement with acontact 53, thereby closing a circuit which includes these contactpoints. Normally contacts 52 and 53 are out of engagement. The circuitsincluding contacts 52 and 53 lead to and control an auxiliary signalsending mechanism 3, which may be of the same type as box 3, but thespecific type of this mechanism forms no part of my invention and willnot be described. The local alarm circuit forms no part of my inventionand it also will not be described.

Connected to conductor 28 is a conductor 54, which leads to one terminalof the sensitive relay coil 44. A conductor 55 connects the otherterminal of coil 44 to a contact 56 in the auxiliary box 4. Conductor 57connects contact 56 and a similar contact 58 in auxiliary box 5. Aconductor 59 connects contact 58 with a contact 60 in auxiliary 6.Leading from contact 60 to conductor 27 is a conductor 61. This forms acircuit from the positive terminal of battery 25 through the sensitiverelay coil 44 into each of the auxiliary boxes and then to the negativeterminal of the battery 25.

A conductor 62 is connected to a terminal of the non-sensitive relaycoil 29 and leads to a binding post 63 in the auxiliary box 6. Conductor64 connects binding post 63 and a binding post 65 in auxiliary box 5.Conductor 66 connects binding post 65 and a binding post 67 in auxiliarybox 4. Leading from binding post 67 to a terminal of the sensitive relaycoil 49 is a conductor 68. This completes a circuit from the positiveterminal of battery 25 through the nonsensitive relay magnet 29, each ofthe auxiliary boxes, to the sensitive relay magnet 49 and back to thenegative terminal of battery 25.

In practice the sensitive relay magnets will have a resistance of about900 ohms each. It is obvious that a small test current will flow througheach of the two circuits last described, The magnetic flux created inthe sensitive relay magnets 44 and 4-9 is sufiicient to hold thecontacts 42 and 47 in their closed position. If there is a break ineither of the circuits containing the sensitive relay magnet, eithercontact 42 or 47 will be released, and the test circuit through thetripping relay coil broken, so that the no-current release armature willdrop and actuate the trouble signal sending mechanism.

Connected to binding post 63 is a switch arm 69 arranged to be movedinto engagement with contact 60 in box 6. Similarly there is a switcharm 70 in box 5 arranged to engage with contact 58. In box 4 there is asimilar arm 71.

Suppose box 4 is operated by pulling the arm 71 so that it engagescontact 56. Current will then flow from the positive side of battery 25through conductor 28, nonsensitive relay coil 29, conductors 62, 64, 66,arm 71, contact 56, conductors 57, 59, 61, 27 and 26 to the negativeside of the batteries. The only resistance element in circuit is thenon-sensitive relay coil. A relatively large current then flows throughthe circuit last described, and energizes electro-magnet 29 sufficientlyto pull contact 30 into engagement with contact 31, completing a lowresistance circuit through the tripping coil 19, and resulting in theactuation of the substation box. It is obvious that pulling either ofthe other auxiliary boxes completes a like circuit.

Suppose the conductors 66 between boxes 4t and 5 breaks, boxes 5 and 6will still be operative. However, contact 47 will open the circuit inwhich it is included, and break the test circuit so that no currentflows through the tripping coil 19. The no-current release armature willbe operated there by, sending a trouble call to the central station. Thearm 24 of the no-current release armature closes the magnetic circuit ofrelay electro-magnet 19 so that if either boxes 5 or 6 are operated,sufficient magnetic flux will be created to act upon armature 16.Suppose the conductor 57 between boxes 4 and 5 is broken, boxes 5 and 6will still be operative. However, the circuit through sensitive relaymagnet 44: will be broken, and contact 4E2 will break the test circuit.

In a like manner the flow of current under conditions of a breakage inother wires of the auxiliary box circuit may be traced.

What I claim is:

1. In a signaling system, a main circuit comprising a tripping coil, anormally open non-sensitive relay controlling said circuit by closurethereof, and a source of electrical energy; a first branch circuitcontrolling said non-sensitive relay by energization thereof andcomprising an element of high resistance, and said source of electricalen ergy; a second branch circuit comprising said source of electricalenergy; and an auxiliary switch bridged across said second branchcircuit and said first branch circuit intermediate said non-sensitiverelay and said element of high resistance so that upon closing saidauxiliary switch the coil of said non-sensitive relay will be in acircuit including said source of electrical energy, said element of highresistance being shorted.

2. In a signaling system, a main circuit comprising a tripping coil forcontrolling a signal transmitting mechanism, a normally opennon-sensitive relay, and a source of electrical energy; a first branchcircuit comprising the coils of said non-sensitive relay, the coils of anormally closed high resistance sensitive relay, and said source ofelectrical energy; a second branch circuit comprising the coils of anormally closed high resistance sensitive relay, and said source ofelectrical energy; a third branch circuit comprising the circuit closersof said sensitive relays, comprising said tripping coil, and said sourceof electri-- cal energy; and an auxiliary switch bridged across saidfirst branch circuit intermediate the sensitive relay and non-sensitiverelay therein and said second branch circuit so that upon closing saidauxiliary switch the coil of said non-sensitive relay will be in acircuit including said source of electrical energy and having the coilsof said sensitive relays shorted.

3. In a signaling system, a main circuit comprising a tripping coil forcontrolling a signal transmitting mechanism, a normally opennon-sensitive relay and a source of electrical energy; a first branchcircuit comprising the coils of said non-sensitive relay, the coils of anormally closed high resistance sensitive relay, and said source ofelectricar energy; a second branch circuit comprising the coils of ahigh resistance sensitive relay, and said source of electrical energy; athird branch circuit comprising the circuit closers of said sensitiverelays, said tripping coil, said source of electrical energy, and thecoil of a local alarm relay; and an auxiliary switch bridged across saidfirst branch circuit intermediate the sensitive relay and non sensitiverelay therein and said second branch circuit so that upon closing saidauxiliary switch the coil of said nonsensitive relay will be in acircuit including said source of electrical energy and having coils ofsaid sensitive relays shorted.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 25th day of April, 1918.

LEWIS DEGEN.

